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Pets.com

Pets.com was a dot-com company launched in 1998 that sold pet supplies online, becoming infamous for its sock puppet mascot that sang "If You Leave Me Now" in Super Bowl 2000 commercials. The company spent $11.8 million on advertising while generating only $600,000 in revenue, folding in November 2000 after just 268 days as a public company.

Why Pets.com Matters

Pets.com became the ultimate symbol of dot-com excess and poor business fundamentals, representing the disconnect between marketing hype and sustainable economics. The sock puppet mascot ironically outlived the company, appearing in later commercials with the advice "Don't invest in dotcoms," becoming a cultural touchstone for understanding the first internet bubble.

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